Try Something New: Cabbage

“'The time has come,' the walrus said, 'to talk of many things: Of shoes and 

ships - and sealing wax - of cabbages and kings'” From Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland

Cabbage is king of cold weather greens. Cabbage is also horribly underrated, and not just for taste. In Italian it is used as the English equivalent of "crap". "Cabbagehead" as an insult to someone thick headed. Not to mention it is thought to put off an pungent odor when boiled. Cabbage is treated much better by the French. "Chou" or cabbage in French is a term of endearment, a cute little thing, "mon petit chou" or darling cabbage. 

I've been seeing cabbages in a more endearing light as well. Cooking them properly has a lot to do with it. Over boiling cabbage, by even so much as two minutes causes the unwelcome odor. But when perfectly cooked, the sweetness comes out and the flavor is mild and lovely. The goodness is not just in the flavor, cabbage is fantastic anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and source of riboflavin and vitamin c.

My favorite ways to serve cabbage are in a slaw, stir fried and now boiled. 

Here is some previous cabbage recipes:

Red Cabbage Pasta or Salad

Red Cabbage with Apples

Thai Savory Fried Rice

Here's how to boil it:

1 small head of cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced

salt

apple cider vinegar

butter

Boil a pot full of water, large enough to accommodate your cabbage. Salt the water. Add the cabbage. Cook until just tender, four minutes is all you need. Drain and add a dot of butter. Add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, not enough to be noticeable, just to brighten the flavor. 

How do you like cabbage?